Poison Sumac

poison sumac, (Toxicodendron vernix), also called poison elder, poisonous shrub or small tree of the cashew family (Anacardiaceae), native to swampy acidic soils of eastern North America. The clear sap, which blackens on exposure to air, contains urushiol and is extremely irritating to the skin for many people. The plant is considered more allergenic than the closely related poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) or western poison oak (T. diversilobum). The itchy and painful inflammation, known as contact dermatitis, can persist for days or weeks.

poison sumac

Poison sumac is a deciduous tree or shrub with an open form. It typically reaches about 6 metres (20 feet) in height. The compound leaves consist of 7–13 oval leaflets with smooth margins. Young leaves are often bright orange. The leaves mature to a deep glossy green and turn red-orange before they drop in autumn. The small yellow-green flowers are borne in loose hanging clusters that emerge from the leaf axils. Unlike the upright fuzzy reddish fruit clusters of true sumacs (genus Rhus), poison sumac has whitish waxy drupes that droop loosely from its stalks.